Fellowship & Fairydust

Radiant Garden. Once hailed as the City of Light. I had to admit the layout was enough to make someone feel the magic of this place. However, if they let their guard down too much they’ll only permit the darkness to creep in again. The castle seems to have been fixed like the rest of the city, but the king needed to improve his security. Anyone could waltz in and cause trouble again.

Well, only if I didn’t get what I wanted. 

As I made my way forward I soon found what I was looking for: a large circular room with rows of shelves filled with books and scientific equipment. The walls had all sorts of equations scribbled on them, but I found my target sitting behind a desk in the middle of the room tinkering with something. He was dressed in a white lab coat with a purple scarf around his neck. His blond hair was swept behind him and his golden eyes were focused on the task at hand when he realized he was no longer alone.

He stood when he saw me, but it was defiance in his eyes instead of fear. “Who are you, and how did you get in here?”

“Ansem the Wise.” I ignored his question. “You have something I want.”

“And what would that be?”

“Information on the Princesses of Heart.”

“That information is beyond you. It will avail you nothing.”

“Spare me the lecture, old man. Give me what I came for.”

He stood tall. “Never.”

I formed a Dark Fireball in my hand. “Wrong answer.” However before I could do anything, I sensed a presence behind me and I ended up using my fireball to block a Firaga spell. Looking at the caster, I saw it was a man carrying a sword that oddly had a gun-like handle, revolver cylinder, and trigger included.

“Squall!” the old man shouted.

The swordsman sighed. “I’m so used to being called Leon,” I heard him mutter. I didn’t know what that was about, but it didn’t matter as he sent a warning look my way. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but you weren’t invited to this castle. So I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.”

“Not until I get what I came for.”

“Sorry, but I can’t let you have classified information.” Squall then pointed his…gunblade?…at me.

It was my turn to glare. “And I’m not about to let such small obstacles block my path.” I then summoned my weapon.

Squall flinched slightly at the sight of it. “Is that…a Keyblade?” he asked.

“So you know about this?” I then shouldered my Vengeful Chaos Keyblade. “Then show me what you can do against it.”

The man then charged at me, clashing his weapon against mine. I noticed a subtle gunpowder burst from the gun’s chambers as the sword collided with mine that sent me flying back. The guy shot me as he had gotten close! That made me smile a little. He knew how to fight. I noticed Ansem started to retreat to a wall, which opened to reveal a hidden room, but I couldn’t focus on him for now as Leon and I locked blades again. 

After struggling to push me back, Squall leaped away and cast three more Firaga’s from his palm. I merely blocked them with my Keyblade before slamming it onto the floor, creating a dark shockwave that knocked him back and blasted everything in the room. He then charged at me again and we started clashing weapons again and again. I could sense he was a skilled warrior and any other time I would want to continue my duel with him.

But I had other things to do now.

He then raised his gunblade into the air and I could feel intense energy gather through it as the blade extended to twice its size. “Blasting Zone!” he called as he brought his sword down. I attempted to block with my Keyblade but he sent me flying backward into a shelf. Books and test tubes came crashing down around me as I got to my feet. No more playing around.

“Enough!” I shouted as I began to charge Vengeful Chaos with my dark powers. “Dark Wave!” I unleashed the darkness in a massive burst that came out like a polluted tsunami, blasting Squall out of the room. You were a worthy opponent, and any other time I would’ve wanted to continue this fight. Unfortunately, right now I needed to find Ansem and complete my mission.

JASON’S POV

I couldn’t believe it. I was so close to being back home, and the crowded marketplace was keeping me from getting there. For the love of Gri, why couldn’t people hurry up? I didn’t see anything useful as the food was all weird and the clothes were out of fashion. As soon as I saw a gap open up in the crowd I pushed my way through. “Home. Soon I’ll be back where I belong.” I thought to myself while I passed someone buying some strange fish. However, the next stall had three white birds with yellow bills and webbed feet selling some potions and stuff, and all three were in sweaters and caps that were different colors. I think they were supposed to be ducks. “No talking animals. No weird magic stuff.” I stopped as one of the moogles, some little white creature with purple wings, and a balloon on its head passed in front of me. “And none of that.” 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little kid with someone that I assumed was their father looking up at a statue of one of the heroes of this world. “Daddy, can I be a hero when I grow up?”

“Of course you can. You can be whatever you want. Just work hard and follow your dreams.”
Those words stung. Clenching my fists, I turned and stormed off towards the castle. “Dreams? What a waste of time.” I thought to myself. “Everyone knows you exist to fill a certain niche in life. Hopes, dreams, aspirations… all of them are nothing more than roadblocks and distractions. And people here seem to think they accomplish something.

“Well, I wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for my father. This is all his fault. When I get back home, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind, like I should’ve done months ago.”

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